As we have discussed previously on this blog, the Internet has made it possible for users to easily share music, movies, software and other copyrighted works, without necessarily purchasing them or owning the rights to them beforehand. In fact, some websites were created specifically for this purpose, and as a result have received copyright lawsuits.

It was recently reported that around 1.3 million users received warnings for potential copyright infringement from their Internet service providers in 2013. The purpose of these copyright alerts was to let users know that they might be violating copyright, which could mean they were potentially downloading music, movies or other protected works, illegally.

Copyright violations can carry serious consequences. It was recently reported that a co-founder of the file-sharing website the Pirate Bay, has been arrested, according to NBC. Peter Sunde received a sentence for violating copyright laws in 2012, but has yet to serve it. He was arrested in Sweden after "being on the run for nearly two years," according to NBC and Swedish officials.

According to the article, film and music companies took the Pirate Bay, which can still be accessed online, to court in an attempt to gain damages from copyright infringement. As a result, four people connected to the website received prison sentences and were fined $6.9 million. Sunde has been arrested because he has not yet served his sentence.

Although this story is an example of an instance where copyright infringement took place on a large scale, it highlights the importance of keeping intellectual property from being subject to possible infringement. With expert legal counsel, businesses can learn what needs to be done to safeguard their valuable assets. An Arizona small business attorney is equipped to handle intellectual property matters.

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